Franz Josef Wagner

Franz Josef Wagner (born 7 August 1943 in Olomouc) is a German author and journalist. He was editor-in-chief of Bild, Germany's largest newspaper, launched Elle magazine's German edition, and has written a number of books, one of which was adapted for television.

Life

Wagner grew up in Regensburg. His father was a teacher. After finishing his schooling, Wagner worked for the Nürnberger Zeitung [de], one of Germany's oldest daily newspapers.^[1] In the early 1960s he worked as a journalist for Bild in Munich. In 1966 Wagner joined the Axel Springer media company in Hamburg. During this stint at Axel Springer, Wagner was for a time a war correspondent. In 1988, Wagner moved to Hubert Burda Media in Munich.^[2] At Hubert Burda Media he served as editor-in-chief of the magazine Bunte. Wagner, together with journalist Günter Prinz [de], started the German edition of Elle magazine in 1988, and the magazine Superillu in 1990. In 1991 Wagner started the short-lived tabloid Super! [de].^[3][4] In July 1998 Wagner returned to Axel Springer, becoming editor-in-chief of Bild.^[5][6] He was replaced as editor-in-chief in 2000.^{[7][8][9][10]} Since 2001 Wagner has written a column, Post von Wagner, for Bild.^[11] Wagner is the author of eight books. His most recent book, an autobiography, was published in 2010.

He is married, has one daughter and lives in Berlin-Charlottenburg.^[12]

Books by Wagner

Novels

• Das Ding, Blanvalet. Munich 1978. ISBN 3-7645-0854-X
  • Adapted into a two-part television film, Das Ding [de], in 1979 by German television broadcaster ZDF
• Im September, wenn ich noch lebe. Blanvalet. München 1979. ISBN 3-7645-5302-2
• Big Story, Bertelsmann. Munich 1982. ISBN 3-570-01857-1
• Wolfs Spur, Bertelsmann. Munich 1984. ISBN 3-570-00279-9

As ghostwriter

• Udo Jürgens: Smoking und Blue Jeans – Jahre eines Traumtänzers. Lübbe. Bergisch Gladbach 1984. ISBN 3-7857-0378-3
• Franz Beckenbauer: Ich – Wie es wirklich war. C. Bertelsmann. Munich 1992. ISBN 3-570-02079-7
• Boris Becker: Augenblick, verweile doch … Bertelsmann. Munich 2003. ISBN 3-570-00780-4

Autobiography

• Brief an Deutschland, Diederichs, Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-424-35041-8